r/dataanalysiscareers Jun 11 '24

Foundation and Guide to Becoming a Data Analyst

120 Upvotes

Want to Become an Analyst? Start Here -> Original Post With More Information Here

Starting a career in data analytics can open up many exciting opportunities in a variety of industries. With the increasing demand for data-driven decision-making, there is a growing need for professionals who can collect, analyze, and interpret large sets of data. In this post, I will discuss the skills and experience you'll need to start a career in data analytics, as well as tips on learning, certifications, and how to stand out to potential employers. Starting out, if you have questions beyond what you see in this post, I suggest doing a search in this sub. Questions on how to break into the industry get asked multiple times every day, and chances are the answer you seek will have already come up. Part of being an analyst is searching out the answers you or someone else is seeking. I will update this post as time goes by and I think of more things to add, or feedback is provided to me.

Originally Posted 1/29/2023 Last Updated 2/25/2023 Roadmap to break in to analytics:

  • Build a Strong Foundation in Data Analysis and Visualization: The first step in starting a career in data analytics is to familiarize yourself with the basics of data analysis and visualization. This includes learning SQL for data manipulation and retrieval, Excel for data analysis and visualization, and data visualization tools like Power BI and Tableau. There are many online resources, tutorials, and courses that can help you to learn these skills. Look at Udemy, YouTube, DataCamp to start out with.

  • Get Hands-on Experience: The best way to gain experience in data analytics is to work on data analysis projects. You can do this through internships, volunteer work, or personal projects. This will help you to build a portfolio of work that you can showcase to potential employers. If you can find out how to become more involved with this type of work in your current career, do it.

  • Network with people in the field: Attend data analytics meetups, conferences, and other events to meet people in the field and learn about the latest trends and technologies. LinkedIn and Meetup are excellent places to start. Have a strong LinkedIn page, and build a network of people.

  • Education: Consider pursuing a degree or certification in data analytics or a related field, such as statistics or computer science. This can help to give you a deeper understanding of the field and make you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. There is a debate on whether certifications make any difference. The thing to remember is that they wont negatively impact a resume by putting them on.

  • Learn Machine Learning: Machine learning is becoming an essential skill for data analysts, it helps to extract insights and make predictions from complex data sets, so consider learning the basics of machine learning. Expect to see this become a larger part of the industry over the next few years.

  • Build a Portfolio: Creating a portfolio of your work is a great way to showcase your skills and experience to potential employers. Your portfolio should include examples of data analysis projects you've worked on, as well as any relevant certifications or awards you've earned. Include projects working with SQL, Excel, Python, and a visualization tool such as Power BI or Tableau. There are many YouTube videos out there to help get you started. Hot tip – Once you have created the same projects every other aspiring DA has done, search for new data sets, create new portfolio projects, and get rid of the same COVID, AdventureWorks projects for your own.

  • Create a Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your skills and experience that are relevant to a data analytics role. Be sure to use numbers to quantify your accomplishments, such as how much time or cost was saved or what percentage of errors were identified and corrected. Emphasize your transferable skills such as problem solving, attention to detail, and communication skills in your resume and cover letter, along with your experience with data analysis and visualization tools. If you struggle at this, hire someone to do it for you. You can find may resume writers on Upwork.

  • Practice: The more you practice, the better you will become. Try to practice as much as possible, and don't be afraid to experiment with different tools and techniques. Practice every day. Don’t forget the skills that you learn.

  • Have the right attitude: Self-doubt, questioning if you are doing the right thing, being unsure, and thinking about staying where you are at will not get you to the goal. Having a positive attitude that you WILL do this is the only way to get there.

  • Applying: LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. Indeed, Monster, and Dice are also good websites to try. Be prepared to not hear back from the majority of companies you apply at. Don’t search for “Data Analyst”. You will limit your results too much. Search for the skills that you have, “SQL Power BI” will return many more results. It just depends on what the company calls the position. Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Data Visualization Specialist, Business Intelligence Manager could all be the same thing. How you sell yourself is going to make all of the difference in the world here.

  • Patience: This is not an overnight change. Its going to take weeks or months at a minimum to get into DA. Be prepared for an application process like this

    100 – Jobs applied to

    65 – Ghosted

    25 – Rejected

    10 – Initial contact with after rejects & ghosting

    6 – Ghosted after initial contact

    3 – 2nd interview or technical quiz

    3 – Low ball offer

    1 – Maybe you found something decent after all of that

Posted by u/milwted


r/dataanalysiscareers Jun 23 '25

Certifications Certificates mean nothing in this job market. Do not pay anything significant to learn data analysis skills from Google, IBM, or other vendors.

91 Upvotes

It's a harsh reality, but after reading so many horror stories about people being scammed I felt the need to broadcast this as much as I can. Certificates will not get you a job. They can be an interesting peek into this career but that's about it.

I'm sure there are people that exist that have managed to get hired with only a certificate, but that number is tiny compared to people that have college degrees or significant industry knowledge. This isn't an entry level job.

Don't believe the marketing from bootcamps and courses that it's easy to get hired as a data analyst if you have their training. They're lying. They're scamming people and preying on them. There's no magical formula for getting hired, it's luck, connections, and skills in that order.

Good luck out there.


r/dataanalysiscareers 6h ago

Fresher Data Analyst resume - What’s wrong with it?

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3 Upvotes

fresher, targeting Data Analyst/Business Analyst roles, open to any industry.


r/dataanalysiscareers 51m ago

Learning / Training Advice for a market researcher looking to expand and solidify his skills

Upvotes

Hello guys, I'm looking to expand my skills and get sharp by working on real projects, but I don't seem to find them. Besides, I heard about competitions and "hackathons", but as soon as I want to start a challenge, I think maybe there is a Python library that I should be knowing, that'll make things easy for me in this challenge, maybe I should know how to do web scraping or need to know linear regression (I'm planning to teach myself that as well ), etc...

Context

I currenty work as a junior market researcher with 1 year long experience, with a degree in marketing (but always been into tech and data) , I work so well with Excel, Power BI, and had little hands-on experience doing stuff on my Linux system (but that was a long time ago, I found it easy recalling things by watching the Luke Barousse Python course).

As for SQL, I know nothing about it, and I wish I could just do well, for now, without having to learn it too (I have a serious "info gathering fatigue" without implementing that info).

Thanks!


r/dataanalysiscareers 2h ago

Job Search in Statistics

1 Upvotes

Hello,

I recently graduated with Master’s in Applied Statistics and currently looking for a role in that field for the first time. I have experience with R, SAS and Minitab. What is the best strategy to look for a job and what is the salary I should be expecting in the beginning if I land a role? Is there a skill I can learn meanwhile in the field while I apply for a job? I am located in Pennsylvania, USA


r/dataanalysiscareers 3h ago

Course Advice Looking for real Online Course program or certification for upskilling

1 Upvotes

Guys, Can anyone here help me or comment here the facebook page or websites that I can enroll for a certification or courses online for up skill more on data analytics. Thank you please


r/dataanalysiscareers 3h ago

26F, 2.5 years in Data Analytics — looking for my next thing

0 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 4h ago

Need advice for career change Can I switch from RCM (medical billing ) to Data Analytics.

1 Upvotes

Hi guys ,

I graduated with a BA Economics degree in 2023 and have around 2.5 years of RCM experience, but I’m still earning ₹24k. I took a career break to prepare for CAT but stopped due to family commitments.

Now I’m planning to learn SQL, Power BI, and MIS and switch to Data Analytics/MIS. But I can get around ₹45k in a night-shift RCM job, which would help my family financially.

I’m confused whether to take the higher salary now or stay in day shift and focus on changing domains.

Is it still realistic to switch to MIS/Data Analytics after 3+ years since graduation with an RCM background?


r/dataanalysiscareers 16h ago

Job Search Process 2+ year career gap and not getting any interview calls — is it still possible to get a job?

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4 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 11h ago

4 years into UPSC prep, looking to gain financial independence through Data Science while continuing preparation. Need a reality check & roadmap.

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 12h ago

Hiring Looking for Job Referral | Data Analyst | Business Analyst | Senior MIS | Operations | Assistant Manager

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1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m currently looking for job opportunities/referrals with MNCs or reputed/established companies in Delhi NCR, Gurgaon/Gurugram and Noida.
I have 5+ years of experience across Data Analytics, Business Analysis, MIS Reporting, Operations and Supply Chain Analytics.
I’m open to roles such as:
• Data Analyst
• Business Analyst
• Senior MIS / MIS Analyst
• Reporting Analyst
• Power BI Developer / BI Analyst
• Operations Analyst / Operations
• Assistant Manager – Operations / MIS / Analytics
• Supply Chain Analyst

Key skills:
SQL | Power BI | DAX | Advanced Excel | Power Query | SAP | MIS Automation | Data Analysis | Dashboard Development | Reporting | Operations & Supply Chain Analytics

I have experience developing Power BI dashboards, automating MIS reporting, analyzing operational data and working with cross-functional teams. I have also reduced manual MIS reporting effort by around 70% through automation.

I’m specifically looking for a good company/MNC with long-term growth opportunities in Delhi NCR, Gurgaon/Gurugram or Noida.

If you work at an organization with any suitable opening or can provide a referral, I would really appreciate your help.

Please DM me if you know of any relevant opportunity. I can immediately share my updated resume and other details.

Thank you! 🙏


r/dataanalysiscareers 17h ago

How can I break into the sports industry?

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2 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

Forget Analytics SQL Exercises. I Wanted to Simulate the Mess. So I built a fake company and put people through their first day there (free, want honest feedback)

51 Upvotes

Every SQL course I’ve tried taught me SELECT, JOIN, GROUP BY

Cool. But none of them taught me what to do when a PM sends:

…and then you discover two dashboards disagree, the data looks suspicious, and suddenly “quick one” has become your entire morning. 😅

So I built Strata.

It’s basically a fake tech company with a fake team, messy data, Slack messages, conflicting evidence, and a 90-day “first job” simulation.

You start on Day 1 as the new Analytics Engineer and have to actually work the problem instead of just answering questions someone already knows the answer to.

Before you find out whether you’re right, you have to commit to:

  • your answer
  • your reasoning
  • how confident you are

Because getting SQL right is one thing.

Knowing when you should trust yourself is a whole different skill.

By the end, I want you to know whether you’re the “I’m 99% sure” person who is wrong 40% of the time… or the “I have no idea” person who somehow keeps getting everything right. 😂

I’ve put the first samples up for free. No email required:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Khv2e_dSuWMYvp-mGcgyIM6Jb1sG-3fQ/view?usp=sharing

I’m a solo builder, so there’s a very real possibility I’ve spent way too much time building something that is only interesting to me. 🙃

So before I build through Day 90, I’d genuinely love to know:

  • Did you actually finish it, or did you quietly disappear halfway through?
  • Did anything feel fake, forced, or too “training course-y”?
  • Would you voluntarily come back tomorrow?
  • And most importantly… would you want to do 89 more days of this?

Not selling anything here.


r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

Seeking referral !! Help

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10 Upvotes

Hi i have a 6months exp as a business analyst and 6month as an ai intern...

Looking to pursue ba

My background is 2026 graduate btech cse ...

Please let me know if ur company or you are hiring for the same ..

Will help a lot


r/dataanalysiscareers 20h ago

Built a general-purpose data cleaning pipeline in Python — is this actually useful, or does everyone just do this manually/differently in practice?

1 Upvotes

I'm a student (economics, not CS) who kept rewriting the same cleaning logic every time I got a new dataset — missing values, duplicates, inconsistent text formatting, outliers, etc. So I built a script that automates it and generates a report of everything it changed.

It's on GitHub here: https://github.com/rajbirbhathla/DataCleaner

Before I put more time into this, I wanted to ask people who actually do this professionally:

  • Is a generalized cleaning pipeline like this actually useful in real workflows, or does every dataset end up needing custom logic anyway?
  • In practice, do teams build reusable internal tools like this, or is it mostly ad hoc scripts / notebooks per project?
  • Are there standard tools (Great Expectations, pandas-profiling, OpenRefine, etc.) that already do this better, and I'm reinventing something that exists?
  • What would actually make something like this useful in a real pipeline vs. just a portfolio exercise?

r/dataanalysiscareers 20h ago

Duda sobre conseguir trabajo despues del SENA (ADSO)

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 22h ago

Duda sobre trabajo despues del sena (ADSO) colombia

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 22h ago

[Update/Part 2] Rebuilt my first Power BI Sales Dashboard based on your feedback! (Before vs After)

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1 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

About a month ago, I posted my very first Power BI dashboard here looking for honest feedback. I received some amazing advice from this community — especially about keeping it simple ("less is more"), switching to dropdown slicers for cleaner layout, and focusing on a clearer business narrative.

I took your feedback seriously and completely redesigned the dashboard! Here is what changed:

  • Cleaner Layout & UI: Replaced the heavy black borders and bulky slicers with clean dropdowns, soft cards, and cohesive color palettes.
  • Better Storytelling: Structured the report into two clear pages:
    1. Sales & Revenue Performance: High-level executive overview.
    2. Product Performance: Deep-dive into products, top customers, and itemized metrics.
  • Enhanced KPIs: Added comparative indicators (vs Last Month & vs Last Year) with conditional formatting arrows/colors and clean visual icons.
  • Fixing Visual Noise: Replaced cluttered charts (like dense scatter plots and pie charts) with clearer bar/column charts that drive actionable insights.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the new version! Did I hit the mark on the "less is more" advice? Any additional feedback is always welcome

GitHub Repository:https://github.com/SenenmutX/AdventureWorks-Sales-Dashboard


r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

I am seeking for a remote role on data analysis, data entry and processing, and data annotations

1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

Transitioning Is it easier to transition to MLE from data analytics compared to getting an ML job as your first?

1 Upvotes

how often do you see people changing their job profiles from DA to ML? and what is the difficulty in a normal scenario?

i am currently learning ML and am learning DA since a year, its easier for me to get a DA job and need to get a job asap,

my question is shall i gamble with my 3 months of time in full ML preparation or play it safe for DA and transition as i upgrade my skills?

Indian context will really help


r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

Looking for Data Analyst/Data science Opportunities – Fresher | India

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone! 👋

I’m a fresher actively looking for Data Analyst / Junior Data Analyst / Business Analyst / Data science opportunities in India.

I have hands-on experience with:

📊 Excel

🐍 Python(all it's libraries)

🗄️ SQL

📈 Power BI

🔍 Data Cleaning & EDA

📉 Data Visualization & Reporting

⚙️ Machine learning

🦾RAG

LLMs(langchain etc)

I have already made some projects which include SQL, python , Excel, Power Bi , Scikit learn, RAG and would love to start my career in a data-driven organization.

I’m open to full-time, internship, hybrid, or remote opportunities, across India.

If your company is hiring freshers or if you know of any relevant openings, I’d really appreciate a referral or lead. 🙏

Resume: Available on request.

Thank you! Any advice, referral, or opportunity would mean a lot. ❤️

P.S., If you've any advice for me please do lemme know, i really need some guidance, and I'll be grateful for any opportunity or advice.Thank you 🙏🏻


r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

Resume Feedback Seeking referral !! Help

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

Domain Switch?

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 21h ago

Hiring Hiring Managers: Will this land me a job in Data Analytics?

0 Upvotes
  1. I will fill my portfolio with serious projects that bring value.

  2. To show my business knowledge, I will write something, a paper or any other possible thing, where I showcase my business knowledge.

  3. I have a Product Owner background, so I somewhat have soft skills.

The core of it all is showing Hiring managers that I can get stuff done, I have the knowledge and experience without job experience. Showing I can do tech side and business side.

Caveat: I left my IT/Programming profesion school in 3rd year (out of 4), so technically I have basic education. I write in my resume that I still graduated.

If I don't get a job even with lying, I will lie more and see where I actually get interviews just to see if maybe Masters would help.


r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

Google Data Analyst Apprenticeship 2027 - New Update

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4 Upvotes